The garbage fire of 2018 is about to go out. Praise Jesus. 2019 is just on the horizon - and so our minds turn to resolutions & goals. Generally I find resolutions to be counterproductive. I believe this is largely due to over-committing. We tend to set our sights very high when we want to make changes. It totally works for some individuals, but it really doesn’t work for me. Remember the story of the tortoise & the hare? I’m definitely the tortoise. Taking things slow gets me to where I want to go. So how does that fit in with making resolutions?

Pictured: Me

I’ve found the best way to get started is by making a list of things I want more of in my life, and those I want less of. From there, I break down how to achieve each item on my list. Here’s some of the items on my More/Less List for 2019:

Less

Netflix

Texting

Fast fashion/impulse purchases

Pre-packaged foods

Screen time (and yes, I recognize the irony of writing that in my blog)

Single-use items like coffee cups/take out containers

Stressing over small stuff

Spending

Over-committing

More

Yoga

Writing

Mending

Local foods & goods

Homemade foods

Family time

To-go cups, reusable straws, cloth napkins

Music music music

Gardening (hopefully in a home with a yard!)

Last minute plans

Saving $ for a house

Saying “no” (& being okay with it)

My next step is looking at each line item and asking myself how to get there. For example, on my More list I have “homemade foods”. Steps to get there include letting my Costco membership expire, writing down meal plans on a weekly planner, shopping for ingredients ahead of time, and reserving Sunday afternoons for meal prep. Manageable, small steps! It’s not rocket surgery.

What do you want more of in your life? What could you use less of? And how will you get there?